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Friday, May 17, 2013

If you're reading this and you do not have a Twitter account...well GET ONE!
For all you hear about Twitter being just for celebrities and kids tweeting what they are eating, what they are wearing, who they are seeing...I offer this...MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

You don't have to follow everyone from your favorite TV show, sports figure, talking head, former student, favorite candy, Tech Coordinator (well maybe this one you could make an exception)...you can but no one's making you but yourself. If you don't mind sorting through the meaningless posts to find the perfect quote/idea/lesson then follow as many as you like. When they become mass marketers and bombard you with more tweets than humanly possible in an hour unfollow them. Simple as hanging up the phone on a telemarketer. MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

If you are a lifelong learner hoping to be part of molding more lifelong learners, Twitter should become one of your go-to learning resources. Need a quick burst of inspiration to make it through the day? Open Twitter and several tweets are there for you. How is your National Science Fair student doing at his/her latest competition? Tomorrow's lifelong learner is already connected (click link on student to see). Wondering what others in your area of study are doing/trying/failing(if you think this is a bad thing you're reading the wrong blog)? Find a Twitter #hashtag and open your eyes to the globally connected world we have to be connected to. If we aren't, how can we expect our students to be?
Several amazing people have created resources and lists of #hashtags including this one containing weekly Twitter Chats about issues in education. Find one and MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

Here's the 6 Degrees of Separation (which is down to 4.67 on Twitter) on how it found me (no hide and seek it just showed up)

@doccarpenter (we have a mutual following relationship) Retweeted a Tweet by @POUSDSupt (I have no clue who this is) who was ReTweeting a Tweet by @ELSCOE of an article written by Carole McGranahan (again never heard of her before this)

Grab your morning coffee/protein shake/OJ/Moo Juice and follow #satchat or #sunchat...Be a Lurker, Be a Contributor, Be blown away at the pace of information flowing (this is how tomorrow's learners process info..like it or hate it it's how they do), Be connected with the other people posting info, Grow Your PLN...MAKE IT YOUR OWN!

On my reading list is:

Teach Like a PIRATE: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Your Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator by Dave Burgess @burgessdave

Which has it's own hashtag following: #tlap
and reminds me of one of my favorite sayings "Know the World...Steal the Best"

Have a wonderful weekend and don't be afraid to venture out into the Twitterverse...if making connections with your in your classroom is a priority (and it should be) then model it and start making connections with peers throughout the world!

Post name Updates:7:45 - PD without a Budget8:00 - Twitter: Replacing your morning paper8:15 - Deleting this post no time to write it right8:30 - Twitter: Make It Your Own8:45 - Make It Your Own...Twitter for PD

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

In addition to discovering electricity, inventing bifocals (hoping to avoid this one) and introducing the concept of daylight savings time (except in Arizona and Hawaii). Benjamin Franklin also said a few amazing things...Sir Ken Robinson quoted Mr. $100 Dollar Bill in a recent TED talk:

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.” – Benjamin Franklin

When you take the time to reflect (and you really should take time to reflect) on your position in life, your work or your home...Think about what class you fall into:

Are you Immovable...resistant to change..don't get why you should change...don't want to change

Are you Movable...do you see the need for change...are you prepared to listen to reason and move to better things

Are you a Mover...do you Make Things Happen...do you act...do you encourage positive outcomesIn your chosen field, as well as your life, do you encourage people to be movable, a mover or are you immovable?

Good things happen when we become Movable or Movers. When we band together and become Movable or better yet Movers GREAT things happen.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Go places…not just the ones you can find on a map, but the one's you can find in your heart.

Go beyond everything you know and embrace everything you don't.

Once you have reached your destination….keep going, because inspiration doesn't favor those who sit still, it dances with the daring…… and rewards the courageous with ideas that excite, challenge and inspire.

Ideas that take you places that you have never imagined. Ideas big enough and powerful enough to make the heart skip a beat and in some cases maybe 2.Keep Pushing Forward....Our Kids Are!

Borrowed this from an email Lincoln High School Principal Shane Zutz sent to all his staff...give him a follow @szutz

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

and as a 21st Century Technology leader I suggest you rework a 12th Century Proverb into your daily leadership routine.12th Century: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.21st Century: Give me a thirsty horse and I'll get it all the water it can drink.When it comes to technology integration recognize the thirsty horses (the ones that devour new ideas...try new things...push the envelope) and provide them all the resources they need to excel.Don't lose your focus or get derailed by trying to bring technology to everyone.Don't worry about those that will be slow to integrate (in any project 25% of the people will be reluctant to change).Focus instead on the "Champions of Technology" you have in your classroom/building/district/community and provide them everything they need to be successful.What you will find is, those horses reluctant to drink will suddenly
realize they're unable to keep pace and either start drinking or fall completely out of the race.

About Me

Technology Coordinator for Thief River Falls Public Schools. I hope you find this blog informative and thought provoking...I apologize in advance for over use of "..." occasional rambling posts and sports parallels that are bound to show up in my blog.